The Lost World review by Denis Minev

		The Lost World (Tor Classics) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Edition: Mass Market Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:  THE ORIGINAL TALE OF DINOSAURS IN THE MODERN WORLD, February 27, 2006 This is Conan Doyle's original tale of dinoasours still alive in the world. The setting is a plateau deep in the Amazon jungle, separat5ed from the rest of the world by very high rock walls. Up on this plateau dinosaours have survived.  The book beging with Professor Challenger, a forceful and egotistical scientist claiming dinosaurs are alive in the jungle and he has seen them in a recent trip. A team is put together to verify this claim, including Challenger, another professor (Summerlee), a big-game hunter and a journalist (the narrator). This group arives at the plateau and begins exploring a way to get up on it. Once up there, they verify the existence of those dinosaurs, having terrifying experiences with pterodactyls and Tyranossaurus Rex. They also meet humans and an ape species that dominate the humans. The story unfolds from then to the climatic end, when Professor CHallenger releases a pterodactyl in a scientific gathering in London.  Overall, this is an entertaining book, it reads like a precursor of Jurassic Park and other monster thrillers. One interesting fact is that the place described by Doyle in fact exists: it is Mount Roraima, at the Brazil/Venezuela/Guyana border. It is exactly as Doyle described it, which is fitting since he based the book on it. Though the plateau is interesting and strange, upon it there are no dinosaurs.

Amazônia review by Denis Minev

		Amazonia: Formacao social e cultural by Samuel Benchimol Edition: Unknown Binding Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  BOOK ON THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE AMAZON, March 12, 2006 This is an important book on the people who today compose the society that lives in the Amazon rain forest. In Brazil alone there are 20 million people, yet most of the attention is paid to deforestation, with little paid to the people who live in it.  The main groups include indians, British, Americans, portuguese, jews, arabs, Japanese, among others. The book dedicates a chapter to each of these populations.  I am somewhat biased in this review since I am the author's grandson. If you would like a copy of this book, feel free to get in touch with me by e-mail.

The Amazon Rainforest review by Denis Minev

		The Amazon Rain Forest: The Largest Rain Forest In The World (Natural Wonders) by Galadriel Watson Edition: Library Binding Availability: In Stock
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  BOOK FOR TEENAGERS ON THE AMAZON, March 30, 2006 This is a nice little book for pre-teenagers unacquainted with the Amazon to read. It touches on the main points related to the forest, such as fauna, flora, its society, economics, geography, environmental conditions and deforestation, among other issues. It also does a brief description of the life work of Henry Walter Bates, an early British explorer of the Amazon who cataloged thousands of new insect species in the region.  Overall, this is a very simple and short book, to be read in about an hour. If you just want a quick intro to the region for your kid, this is okay. Anything more, you should look elsewhere, such as Adrian Forsyth's Tropical Forest.

The Amazon review by Denis Minev

		The Amazon, 2nd: The Bradt Travel Guide by Roger Harris Edition: Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:  BEST IN CLASS, THOUGH NOT THAT GOOD, April 1, 2006 Among all guidebooks I have seen on the Amazon, this one did the best job of gathering information and putting it in an easily readable fashion.  The book is divided among the different countries in the region. Knowing the attractions mainly of the Brazilian Amazon, I can say that about half of the businesses, phone numbers, addresses, etc. are outdated. It is to be expected, since this guide was published 4 yrs ago. The Brazilian section is good, with good advice especially on the surroundings of Manaus. It also provides good advice on what to bring and what to look for in the Amazon, which is useful and timeless.  To someone considering a trip to different places in the Amazon, if you want to get just one guide, I would recommend this one. If you are going to just one place, perhaps as a second guide book this would help, but I would not rely too heavily on the companies listed there, many of them no longer exist.

Tropical Nature review by Denis Minev

		Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America by Adrian Forsyth Edition: Paperback Availability: In Stock
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:  ENCHANTING DEPICTION OF THE RAIN FOREST, April 9, 2006 Among books that aim to express to readers the wonders of the rain forest, this one stands out. In 17 chapters that touch upon different aspects of the rain forest, the authors transmit their own passion for the rain forest and the unique intricacies that make rain forests some of the most precious places on earth.  The book is not written as one coherent whole, but rather as 17 individual chapters or essays. Below is a brief sample of topics:  - the strategy of dung scarabs to capture important proteins  - the symbiotic relationship of sloths with the trees they prefer  - the mimicry some insects have developed to elude their main predators, birds  - the reason why some birds have developed migratory patterns to temperate climates  - the reason why some frogs developed a parental care strategy and even marsupial pouches  - the reason why some trees are hollow  - how parasited species can benefit even in the most unlikely scenarios  - why some plants developed hallucinogenic substances  These are just a few of the topics covered in the book. It is written in a pop science format, so that an interested reader will easily understand and appreciate these and many more concepts. The authors carefully explain the relationships, often comparing the rain forest experience with those of temperate forests. The authors also focus on the possible evolutionary principles involved in adaptations presented.  This is the very best introductory book on the subject. It is designed to excite the reader into learning more and even visiting the rain forest. In the mold of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins, Miyata and Forsyth write a masterpiece that will make the reader feel smarter after reading it.

The River of Doubt review by Denis Minev

		The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:  DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THE EXPLORATION OF ROOSEVELT RIVER, April 24, 2006 Millard does a masterful job of bringing to life not only an expedition in the Amazon jungle, but also the very interesting characters that composed it, from the very famous (US President Teddy Roosevelt, his son) to regionally famous characters (Rondon in Brazil) to unknowns (naturalists, priests, etc.).  The book opens with a description of the times in US and Latin American politics. It was a time of the Panama canal, Latin American instability and the establishment of US leadership in the region. Against that backdrop, a formerly powerful man, Roosevelt, seeks his last swan song as an explorer in the Amazon, seeking to do somehting truly significant in a time of explorers (Amudsen, Mallory, etc.).  The expedition is quite clearly poorly planned and the different philosophies of its joint leaders (Roosevelt and Rondon) burst out amid the difficulties they face in the jungle and in enormous repeated rapids. The true story includes murder, drowning, abandonment, indian attacks, starvation, not to mention the more vain human constants of pettiness, ambition, deceit, and pride.  Ultimately, Roosevelt and Rondon put on the map a 1 thousand mile long river, which was to be renamed from "River of Doubt" (hence the title) to "River Roosevelt", as it stands today. This is the kind of book one will read in only a few short days, unable to put down the exciting story. The pictures included also contribute to clarify the true nature of the adventure. I highly recommend this book, as I believe it will fast become the authoritative account of Roosevelt?s expedition and a classic of Amazonian exploration.

A Crossbowman's Story review by Denis Minev

		A Crossbowman's Story Availability: Currently unavailable
ACCOUNT OF ORELLANAS TRIP DOWN THE AMAZON, May 15, 2006 This book tells the story of Francisco de Orellana?s trip in 1541 and 1542 down the Amazon river. It is written from the perspective of one of the crossbowmen in Orellana?s party.  If you are interested in Amazon history, especially as it relates to explorers, this is a book you must read. It goes into detail not only on the region that is explored but also of the social connections between the Spaniards and their motivations. It tracks the expedition from its beginning, when Orellana races to catch up with Gonzalo Pizarro?s group (Francisco?s brother), to the moment the parties get separated, to the decisions made along the way that caused deaths or allowed them to stay alive. It also provides a very good description of the local environment and the account allows the reader to discern many of the main local features, mainly tributaries meeting the Amazon.  I recommend this book for people who are knowledgeable of the Amazon already and would like to know more about this first white man to see the great river from its insides.

AMazonian Dark Earths review by Denis Minev

		Amazonian Dark Earths: Explorations in Space and Time by Bruno Glaser Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:  SCHOLARLY INTRODUCTION TO AMAZONIAN DARK EARTHS, June 4, 2006 Amazonian dark earths are a type of soil that has long been known in the Amazon but whose origins have been disputed for many years. Over the last 10-15 years there has been a consensus that these are anthropogenic soils created by agricultural and social methods of old indian cultures in the Amazon.  This book is a compilation of significant academic articles on amazonian dark earths. The most active academics in dark earth study are represented, as well as a good array for sites are studies, from the Tapajós, Negro, Solimoes, and Napo river basins. Also studies are done on the composition of these soils and their anti fungicidal and fertile properties. The most interesting feature of these soils is their continued extraordinary fertility even many centuries after they were formed.  Dark earths are an interesting phenomenon that may hold the key to productive agriculture in the Amazon basin, as opposed to common slash and burn techniques that are so devastating to the region.  This book is not a lively account of dark earths, but a scholarly text. For someone interested in dark earths from a less technical background, I recommend "1491" by Charles Mann, in which there is a significant portion on dark earths. This book is for those seeking a deeper knowledge of the subject.

Breve História da Amazônia review by Denis Minev

		Breve historia da Amazonia by Marcio Souza Edition: Unknown Binding Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
GOOD SUMMARIZED HISTORY OF THE AMAZON, June 4, 2006 This book is in portuguese and is somehwat difficult to come by. Marcio Souza is a celebrated author (perhaps the most celebrated) in the Brazilian Amazon. In this book he succintly puts together thousands of years of human history in the Amazon into about 200 pages.  In so doing, of course much of history is left out or only briefly mentioned. However, the author does touch upon all the major events of Amazon history, with chapters focusing on the following:  1. Conquest by Spaniards initially  2. Colonization of the Amazon, mainly by Portuguese  3. Adventures of naturalists and other travelers  4. Independence of Brazil  5. Cabanagem - the main revolutionary movement in the Amazon in the early 19th century. The author does give a special emphasis to the cabanagem movement, being himself a specialist on it.  6. The rubber boom  7. A more modern view of history  I highly recommend it to someone who wishes to get acquainted with Amazon history, esp regarding Brazil. This is a good starting point, from which the reader can choose to go deeper into particular events in history.

South America Called Them review by Denis Minev

		South America called them;: Explorations of the great naturalists: La Condamine, Humboldt, Darwin, Spruce by Victor Wolfgang Von Hagen Edition: Unknown Binding Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
RARE TEXT ON CERTAIN NATURALISTS, OLD IDEALIZED VIEW, June 4, 2006 Humboldt and Darwin are both highly celebrated naturalists with many texts written on both, esp Darwin. However, the other two, Spruce and La Condamine are two very interesting and important characters who deserve to be remembered as important discoverers.  This texts attempt to put together a short list of important explorers. However, picking only 4 is a hard job, and I am not sure the author picked the best 4 possible -- others that may merit such mention include Alfred Russel Wallace, Henry Walter Bates, among others.  This book gives an idealized image of the explorers. They are portrayed as wholly good people and anyone they encounter that is against them is portrayed as bad people. Such shallow description of character simplifies the stories, but it does not help in knowing the truth. Given that accounts of La Condamine's trip and Spruce's collecting are not very easy to come by, this is useful as an additional source.

The Amazon Bubble review by Denis Minev

		The Amazon Bubble: World Rubber Monopoly (History) by Charles E. Stokes Edition: Paperback Availability: Not in stock; order now and we'll deliver when available
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:  HISTORY OF RUBBER IN THE SOUTHERN AMAZON, July 23, 2006 This book claims to cover the history of the Amazon rubber boom. Setting such high expectations, the book fails to deliver such an all-encompassing story, rather focusing on the history of occupation of a small portion of the southern Amazon and its impact on the rubber boom.  The state of Acre (today in Brazil) has an interesting story, first as part of Bolivia, then as an independent country, then disputed by Brazil, flirting with the US and finally joining Brazil when Bolivia tried to claim it back. It is the smallest state in the Brazilian Amazon and during the rubber boom was said to have the best quality rubber in the world. The story revolves largely around Nicolas Suarez, the great rubber baron of Bolivia who himself tried to retain Acre in Bolivia's hands with a private militia.  The book is interesting, and hence the 3 stars, but it does not cover the subject of the title. Also, the book has pictures of the author's family and tells the story of his family's involvement in Latin America in general, with no particular point to the story in the book.

Explorers of the Amazon review by Denis Minev

		Explorers of the Amazon by Anthony Smith Edition: Paperback Availability: In Stock
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:  COLLECTION OF GREAT EXPLORERS OF THE AMAZON, July 23, 2006 The Amazon has always been a source of dreams and threats to European explorers. In this volume, Anthony Smith selects a few explorers and adventurers who have sougth fame, honor, fortune or knowledge in the banks of the Amazon. The selection is a bit random with some characters, but overall provides a very interesting and readable collection of great men and women.  Devoting about 30-40 pages per explorer, the book covers the following:  1) Cabral, the discoverer of Brazil. He was never to the Amazon, so it is a bit unclear what he is doing in this volume.  2) Orellana, the first Spaniard down the Amazon, the first man to report seeing the Amazon women.  3) Aguirre, the madman who went down the Amazon in a murderous rage only to turn back and try to conquer Peru again.  4) Teixeira, the man who asserted Portuguese possession of the Amazon, sailing against the current up the Amazon.  5) Condamine, the first scientist down the Amazon.  6) The Godin's, one fo the greatest love stories in the world, where a woman, separated for 30yrs from her husband, goes down the Amazon to meet him.  7) Humboldt, the last renaissance man, does most of his scientific discoveries in the northern Amazon, including the famous Casiquiare canal.  8) Spruce and Wickham, two botanists and robbers of some of the wealth of the Amazon - cinchona and rubber trees.  9) Arana, the great and evil character of the Putumayo, where some of the greatest atrocities of the rubber boom were committed against indians.  These stories are well told, though some important characters are not listed -- Wallace and Bates, for example. Highly recommended though, as a door to finding out more about this great region and its history.

Humboldt's Cosmos review by Denis Minev

		Humboldt's Cosmos by Gerard Helferich Edition: Paperback Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:  THE LAST RENAISSANCE MAN, July 23, 2006 Humboldt was a truly extraordinary character. He was a mixture of adventurer and scientist that has rarely been seen, especially with such developed expertise in both areas. This biography covers Humboldt's entire life, with special focus on his trip to Latin America between 1799 and 1804.  This book is written as an interesting narrative, explaining with only passing remarks the actual science behind his achievements. Advances that Humboldt made cover such different fields as botany, geology, geography, anthropology, climatology, magnetism, among others. The book is very good at outlining the spirit of those discoveries; if you would like an actual explanation, look in the Personal Narratives that Humboldt wrote himself.  As an adventurer, he criss crossed South America at a time when much of it was yet undiscovered and uncharted. He mapped the Casiquiare canal, which at the time was a legendary connection between the Amazon and Orinoco basins. He made it from Venezuela to Peru, climbing in the process some of the highest mountains in Latin America (including the Chimborazo, which at the time was believed to be the highest mountain in the world and yet unclimbed). He was for many years the high altitude record holder of the world.  It is amazing such a towering figure is not remembered among the ranks of Einstein, Da Vinci or Darwin. I highly recommend this book and finding out more about Humboldt, especially if you enjoy science, travel or adventure writing.

Latitude Zero review by Denis Minev

		Latitude Zero: Tales of the Equator by Gianni Guadalupi Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
NICE TIDBITS OF HISTORY IN THE TROPICS, July 23, 2006 The tropics have always fascinated European explorers with tales of monsters and incredible nature. In this book, the authors tell the stories of a few handpicked explorers of the tropics.  The stories are divided among continents:  1. In South America, we have Orellana (first man down the Amazon), Aguirre (insane explorer in the Amazon), Raleigh (Brit up in Guyana) and Condamine (the French measurer of the Earth).  2. In Africa, Livingstone, Burton, Speke, Conrad, among others.  3. In Asia, Magellan (first around the world), Stevenson (of literary fame), and Brooke (the white Raja).  These are just short stories, of maybe 5-15 pages per explorer, and the choice of explorers is not necessarily the best, given the limited space in the book.

Lizzie review by Denis Minev

		Lizzie: A Victorian Lady's Amazon Adventure by Tony Morrison Edition: Hardcover Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
COMMENTED DIARIES OF AN BRITISH LADY IN THE AMAZON, July 23, 2006 Lizzie Hessel was a British lady who, at a young age right after her marriage, followed her husband to the depths of the Amazon for him to take the job of rubber tapping manager at Orton, a famous rubber zone in northern Bolivia.  This book is basically a collection of letter Lizzie sent her family in England throughout her journey (which took over a year just to get to Orton). In it, she witnessed death (of Fitzcarraldo no less, the man immortalized by Herzog's movie), faced hunger and difficult living conditions with humidity, insects and no shelter in the jungle. The owner of Orton also dies on the way, which makes their situation uncertain halfway through the trip.  The authors added commentary to the letters, which provide the reader context to her situation. Maps also give the reader a good sense of where the couple is and where they are headed. It also shows how crazy their trip is, going around the interior of the continent to avoid a yellow fever outbreak. Overall, an outstanding story, with an ending that I will not give away, but is heartstopping.

Deforestation and Land Use in the Amazon review by Denis Minev

		Deforestation and Land Use in the Amazon by CHARLES H. WOOD Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
GOOD COLLECTION OF SCHOLARLY ARTICLES ON DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON, July 23, 2006 The authors have put together a good collection of articles on deforestation and land use in the Amazon. Having come to the subject with only limited knowledge, after reading most of the articles a reader is able to speak knowledgeably on the subject.  Articles focus on very distinct topics such as:  1) Migration patterns and the way they have affected land use and deforestation  2) The choice of migrants to go to cities or urban areas  3) The pattern of deforestation along major roads  4) The demographic profiles of colonists and the effect they have on land use choice  An interesting characteristic is that land use choices were very different among settlers, even in similar areas. Oftertimes these were based on demographics (age and composition of families), wealth levels, and knowledge base. Also interesting were the description of efforts of participative land use planning and the potential benefits of bringing stakeholders in making good and lasting land use decisions.  The articles in this book were compiled from academic publications, so were not geared towards the general public. Of the 14 articles assembled, perhaps 3 or 4 are difficult to read. All are academic, bringing in many references to previous work. If one is willing to tear through academic articles on the subject, there is much very interesting knowledge to be gained.

The End of Poverty review by Denis Minev

		The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time by Jeffrey D. Sachs Edition: Hardcover Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:  A GREAT ECONOMIST GOES ON THE FIELD TO UNDERSTAND POVERTY, July 23, 2006 Jeffrey Sachs has for long been a celebrated economist, a leader in the field of development economics. In this book, he focuses on global poverty and tries to draw conclusions from the world's experiences in teh 20th century.  The book is divided into three parts: (1) country analyses, (2) on-the-ground microeconomic problem identification and solutions and (3) ways to scale up the identified solutions on a global scale.  The country sections focus on individual countries, trying to disect a bit of economic and political history to explain why some countries have succeeded instead of others -- the countries analyzed include China, India, Bolivia, Russia, and Poland. In brief chapters, Sachs gives the reader a good understanding of recent history and perspectives of each country.  The microeconomic solution sections are the most interesting I believe. Sachs is on the ground trying to identify why hard working people do not get out of poverty. A few areas are emphasizes, such as agricultural productivity through fertilizers, basic health investments such as bed nets to prevent malaria, education, infrastructure such as roads, communication and power, and safe drinking water.  Last is the section of scaling up such solutions across the poor world. This section is not as interesting as the previous two and fails to recognize the usual agency problem in which donor's money may not reach the poor due to lack of proper incentives along the way.  The End of Poverty is a nice book, a good effort to address certain issues that economists often underestimate. The usual policy prescription of economics are shown to fall far short of realities and necessities on the ground. Growth cannot be sparked by macroeconomic stability, but by a combination of factor which include stability. The other factors are what Jeff Sachs tries to address, quite successfully in this volume.

Unknown Amazon review by Denis Minev

		Unknown Amazon by Colin McEwan; Christiana Barreto; Eduardo Neves Edition: Paperback Availability: In Stock
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:  COLLECTION OF SECRETS HIDDEN DEEP WITHIN THE AMAZON, July 23, 2006 The Amazon rain forest reamins today one of the more mysterious places in world. There are as of yet unknown tribes, the history of the region is only now being uncovered, and the complex nature of its ecosystem is as gradiouse as it is mysterious.  This book is a collection of articles by different specialists in different fields of study. They are not written as academic articles, but rather as articles accessible to laypeople. The topics include:  1. The Terra Preta do Indio, a surprisingly fertile soil that appears to have been designed by ancient indians.  2. The pattern of hunter gatherer movements and how they have constructed their environment so enhance tree species appropriate to their living.  3. Rock art of ancient Amazonians, along different rivers, much of which is undeciphered.  4. The history of war clubs in Guyana, among others.  The book is peppered with pictures that enhance the mysterious nature of the articles and place to the reader questions only now being answered by researchers. I highly recommend it as a book to find out how the Amazon is not yet understood and the vast amount of knowledge yet to be gained by studying it.

The Lost Amazon review by Denis Minev

		The Lost Amazon: The Photographic Journey of Richard Evans Schultes by Wade Davis Edition: Hardcover Availability: Out of Print--Limited Availability
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:  PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY OF RICHARD EVANS SCHULTES, August 5, 2006 Schultes was perhaps the greatest ethnobotanists of all time and definitely the father of the subject. In this book, his pupil (and today famed explorer) Wade Davis puts together a sampling of his photographs throughout his life in the Amazon, providing a visual context to the story about the great scientist and explorer.  Schultes lived among indians for many years in the northwestern Amazon, in search for knowledge about its plants and their secrets. He uncovered many hallucinogenic plants in the process, which earned him a cult status in the 1970s. During his time with the indians, he was able to build strong relationships with the natives, which earned a position of respect and gave him the ability to explore their land and knowledge deeply.  Schultes is one of the last great explorers who disconnected himself from the outside world for years in order to collect new specimens and search for more knowledge. Such figures are rare, if at existent in the modern world. He wrote many books about his travels, which would also make interesting reading, especially as they relat ehte knowledge he gathered. This is more of a coffee table type of book, with many pictures and less story. Having read one of his books, I appreciated seeing the pictures of his time in the Amazon.

The Last Great Adventure of Sir Peter Blake review by Denis Minev

		The Last Great Adventure of Sir Peter Blake: With Seamaster and blakexpeditions from Antarctica to the Amazon : Sir Peter Blake's Logbooks by Peter Edition: Hardcover Availability: In Stock
LOGBOOKS OF A GREAT ADVENTURER IN HIS LAST ADVENTURE, August 5, 2006 Sir Peter Blake was a great adventurer and seaman. He was part of the team that won the America's Cup in 1995 and lead the defense of the title in 2000 for New Zealand, where he is a national hero.  This book is a celebration of his long and successful career sailing the world. In this last expedition, he goes from Antarctica to the Amazon, going all the way up the Casiquiare, teh legendary canal discovered by Alexander von Humboldt that connects the Negro with the Orinoco rivers. Throughout the books provides a glimpse of local history, with a special emphasis on environmental issues, which were very much on Blake's agenda in this voyage. His journals show a very deep concern for the future of both Antarctica and the Amazon, as tremendously different but similarly delicate regions.  The book is in hard cover format and has lots of pictures taken throughout the trip, which provide the reader with a visula context of the logbook. It is a sad story because it ends up in Peter's demise, attacked by pirates at the mouth of the Amazon, yet it stands as a tribute to a great sportsman and environmental leader.